Imitation
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: set pre-book 3. during one of Rose's nightmares, Indigo calms her down by impersonaiting Tom.


For the third night in a row, Indigo was woken up by Rose's cries. As was the rest of the Casson family. Indigo stumbled out of his room to find Caddy hovering at her doorway in confusion and Saffy glaring at Rose's open door as their mother tried to calm her down.

"Rose Darling..." she cooed softly as she tried to muffle her own yawns. "Please darling, go back to sleep. It was just a dream"

"No" Rose groaned struggling to get past Eve. "The phone...Tom...not a dream"

"Please darling," Eve repeated, "go back to sleep. Just a dream darling, you're own imagination"

Rose pushed Eve out of the way and ran out onto the hallway. "It's not a dream! Tom phoned. I know he did. The phone rang and anything could happen. What if his little sister died? What would poor Tom do then?"

"I thought he didn't care about his little sister" Saffy muttered darkly. When Saffy didn't get her sleep she was usually rude and mean and forgetful of other people's feelings. "So he would probably just throw a party and might, just might, remember to invite us"

Rose pushed Saffy hard enough to cause her to stumble into Caddy. "Shut up!" she snarled fiercely. "Tom's not like that at all! He _cares_! Cares for his sister just didn't know until it was too late. And he cares for us. For me. He'll phone"

After helping Saffy gain her balance, Caddy ran to Rose and hugged her tightly. "Oh Rose Darling, lovely, lovely Rose. I know you hurt right now but please darling, go back to sleep. We'll leave all the doors open just in case he tries to ring again"

Rose pushed Caddy off of her. "I'm not going to sleep! I'm going to wait at the phone just in case he rings again"

As she marched down the stairs all three Casson women turned to look at Indigo. Both Eve and Caddy wore pleading exhausted looks while Saffy looked frustrated and irritated.

Indigo sighed. "I'll go speak to her" he murmured.

"Oh Indy Darling, you are an angel" Eve said before floating back to her room for much needed sleep.

Indigo slowly made it down the stairs. He couldn't think of a way to calm Rose down enough to get her to sleep. Rose was stubborn and temperamental. She would argue back whatever point he makes and if she got angrier she might even strike out against him like she did with Saffy. His mother and sisters look at him as if he was some sort of miracle worker but the truth was if he wasn't Tom then he was just as useless as them.

Tom.

His best friend. When Indigo first met Tom he was sure that he knew him from somewhere else but he couldn't place it. Tom was cheeky, creative, stubborn, and temperamental and just had to be the centre of the attention. It wasn't until Rose came home babbling about how wonderful Tom was that he worked out why he felt like he knew Tom from before. Tom was exactly like Rose in personality.

They were so alike that he didn't really surprise him that they had gotten on so well. That Rose seemed more attached to Tom than he was and Tom might just like Rose a little more than Indigo. It didn't bother him but what did bother him was the huge gaping hole Tom left in Rose.

One that no one can really fill up.

So has he hovered by the door he made up his mind on how to calm Rose down. Once, a very long time ago it seems, he had helped Caddy remain calm by imitating Michael. He didn't know that he was good at impersonations but apparently he was. Back then he barely knew Michael and still managed to do a good imitation of him.

Indigo knew Tom very well. His mannerisms, his voice, and the way he spoke to Rose especially.

So taking a deep breath, Indigo began his act.

"Hello Permanent Rose!"

She whirled round and squinted at the doorway. "Tom?" she asked a little hesitantly. Like she couldn't believe it.

"Causing trouble Rosie Pose?" he chuckled Tom's laugh. The easy going, enjoying the moment, laugh. "Not fair on the others is it? I mean trouble is great in the day but a night people prefer to sleep"

"Yeah..." Rose shifted on the sofa and stared down at her feet. She was beginning to feel guilty.

"If you don't sleep Permanent Rose then you can't climb roofs" he held out his hand to her. "Lets go back to sleep" Rose slowly took his hand and Indigo led her out. The moonlight was spilling in through the windows and he could make out her tattoos from where he was standing. "Love the colours Rose. Very you. Bright and permanent"

She grinned. "I could do you one if you want"

He chuckled. "No thanks Rose. I need to have good skin if I want to be famous"

It was a long process. Once he got her tucked up into bed it took several songs to get her to even start falling asleep. He had to lie about the guitar (because even with it, he doesn't play well enough to pull a convincing Tom impersonation) and then almost slipped when he snapped just go to sleep.

Eventually. Slowly. After many more songs made up on the spur (Indigo really, really hopes that Rose never repeats them to Tom because they were terrible. So terrible that Tom would laugh himself sick) Rose started to drift off to sleep.

Her face relaxed into a smooth peaceful mask as her eyes fluttered shut. After tucking her in properly Indigo kissed her forehead and said in his best Tom voice, "Good night Permanent Rose, don't let the bed bugs bite"

She shifted and snuggled closer to her pillow. "Tom..." she whispered.

Indigo felt his insides twist. Because no matter how good an impression he does. Not matter how much of a good imitation he is. That was all what he was to her. A ghost, a shadow, an imitation of the real deal. Unless he magically pulled Tom out of America she would never be completely satisfied. Eventually squinting and hearing a fake voice will get old and the magic will wear off and she'll only see Indigo.

Until then he could be a good enough imitation to help her sleep.


End file.
